Date
- Oct 11 2025
Time
AEST Time- 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Languages

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Dr. Rastegar is a researcher and academic with a multidisciplinary background in environmental sciences and tourism management. His research is positioned at the forefront of justice-oriented sustainability transitions, environmental conservation, and regenerative tourism. His work critically examines how tourism systems can be reimagined to support inclusive, equitable, and regenerative futures at local, national, and global levels. Dr. Rastegar has successfully led and completed several large-scale international, multidisciplinary projects, collaborating with scholars worldwide. His research has advanced climate justice in tourism policy and practice and contributed to conceptualising justice in tourism development. In addition to his work in urban destinations, he has conducted influential research in protected areas and national parks, exploring human–nonhuman relationships through the lenses of ecological and social justice. Recognised as a thought leader in the field, Dr. Rastegar has been invited to deliver keynote and invited talks at major international conferences, including the UN World Tourism Conference, where he addressed themes of justice and sustainability transitions. Through his scholarship and advocacy, he aims to support more just, resilient, and ecologically attuned pathways for tourism futures. |
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Roshis Krishna Shrestha obtained his PhD in Business and Economics at the Research School of Management at the Australian National University in December 2023. He joined School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University as a Research Assistant Professor in January 2024. Before embarking on his academic career, Roshis gained over five years of managerial experience in various sectors in Nepal, including automotive and consumer durables industries. His research interests include Indigenous tourism, sustainable tourism, culture and heritage tourism, and rural tourism as applied to his native Nepal. |
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Susanne Becken is a Professor of Sustainable Tourism at Griffith University in Australia where she focuses on research related to the science-policy-practice interface of transforming tourism. Susanne is a member of the Travalyst Independent Advisory Group, the EarthCheck Research Institute, the Te Araroa Trail Advisors, and the New Zealand Government Tourism Data Leadership Group. She is an elected Fellow of the International Academy of the Study of Tourism. In 2019, she was awarded the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award for her contribution to tourism knowledge |
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Loretta Bellato is a settler woman from Melbourne, Australia, and early career researcher. She is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. Her research focuses on examining regenerative development approaches to tourism. Loretta is a Regenesis Institute Regenerative Practitioner Series graduate, Master of International Development, RMIT and Master of International Sustainable Tourism Management, Monash University and has extensive practitioner experience in community health and tourism sectors. |
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Dr. Lazey Doma Bhutia is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events at Taylor’s University, Malaysia. She brings over six years of academic and research experience across India and Malaysia, with a strong background in heritage tourism, cultural studies, and student-centered pedagogy. Her contributions are instrumental in blending theoretical concepts with real-world applications, thus preparing students for successful careers in the tourism sector. Dr. Bhutia holds a PhD in Tourism Administration from Jiwaji University, India. Her research focuses on cultural and heritage tourism, ethnographic studies, and Indigenous knowledge systems, particularly in the context of Sikkim. She is deeply passionate about integrating Indigenous heritage and sustainable practices into tourism education. Outside the classroom, she enjoys painting mythical motifs, which reflects her deeper effort to understand and carry forward traditional knowledge through the voices and experiences of the older generation. |
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Aayusha Prasain is the CEO of the Community Homestay Network (CHN), a leading social enterprise in Nepal that promotes responsible and community tourism. With a foundation in international development and a passion for meaningful change, she drives initiatives that empower local communities, particularly women, and foster inclusive, sustainable travel experiences. Her work connects grassroots communities with national and international partners, advancing a tourism model that safeguards culture, climate resilience, and economic equity. A seasoned speaker at global forums, Aayusha advocates for bringing community tourism from the margins to the mainstream. Drawing on her experience with gender and youth-led initiatives, multilateral agencies, and community-based organizations, Aayusha brings a deep commitment to advancing equity, inclusion, and local ownership in tourism. |
![]() | Raymond Rastegar Moderator |
![]() | Roshis Krishna Shrestha Moderator |
![]() | Susanne Becken Panelist |
![]() | Loretta Bellato Panelist |
![]() | Lazey Doma Bhutia Panelist |
![]() | Aayusha Prasain Panelist |
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Oct 11 2025
- Time: 3:00 am - 4:30 am
Volume 73
As the tourism sector grapples with deepening social and ecological crises, there is an urgent need to move beyond sustainability toward regenerative approaches that not only sustain but restore ecosystems, empower communities, and reimagine the very purpose of travel. This webinar explores regenerative tourism as a pathway to justice, but critically interrogates whether such a transformation is truly possible within existing capitalist frameworks. Bringing together diverse perspectives and grounded case studies such as community-led ecological restoration, the session convenes leading scholars and practitioners to examine how tourism can transition from extractive, growth-oriented models. Through critical dialogue, it explores possibilities, tensions, and contradictions, offering practical insights for policy, research, and practice to advance regenerative justice in an era of planetary urgency.ا
Kazem Vafadari
Roshis Krishna Shrestha
Loretta Bellato
Lazey Bhutia
Aayusha Prasain
Kazem Vafadari
Registration
Local Time:
Sep, 2025



